Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name<n id="1" /> is in him.

So now swear to me in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s name<n id="1" /> that you will not kill<n id="2" /> my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.&#8221;p>

So now assemble the rest of the army<n id="1" /> and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">The sons of Ezrah:p> <p class="bodytext">Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.p> <p class="bodytext">Mered&#8217;s wife Bithiah<n id="1" /> gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa.

Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home;<n id="1" /> I will be constantly present there.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">For when they see their children,p> <p class="poetry">whom I will produce among them,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they will honor<n id="2" /> my name.p> <p class="poetry">They will honor the Holy One of Jacob;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">they will respect<n id="4" /> the God of Israel.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Listen to me, you coastlands!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Pay attention, you people who live far away!p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> summoned me from birth;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Hear the word of the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">you who respect what he has to say!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Your countrymen,<n id="2" /> who hate youp> <p class="poetry">and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,p> <p class="poetry">say, &#8220;May the <sc>Lordsc> be glorified,p> <p class="poetry">then we will witness your joy.&#8221;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">But they will be put to shame.p>

Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own<n id="1" /> and say, &#8220;We are safe!&#8221; You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins!<n id="2" />

Do you think this temple I have claimed as my own<n id="1" /> is to be a hideout for robbers?<n id="2" /> You had better take note!<n id="3" /> I have seen for myself what you have done! says the <sc>Lordsc>.

So I will destroy this temple which I have claimed as my own,<n id="1" /> this temple that you are trusting to protect you. I will destroy this place that I gave to you and your ancestors,<n id="2" /> just like I destroyed Shiloh.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;I have rejected them because<n id="1" /> the people of Judah have done what I consider evil.<n id="2" /> They have set up their disgusting idols in the temple<n id="3" /> which I have claimed for my own<n id="4" /> and have defiled it.

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;So I will now let this wicked people know &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">I will let them know my mighty power in judgment.p> <p class="poetry">Then they will know that my name is the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I acted for the sake of my reputation,<n id="1" /> so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived,<n id="2" /> before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.<n id="3" />p>

But I refrained from doing so,<n id="1" /> and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

Then you will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">As a result they<n id="1" /> will conquer those left in Edom<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and all the nations subject to my rule.&#8221;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc>, who is about to do this, is speaking!p>

&#8220;My covenant with him was designed to bring life and peace. I gave its statutes to him to fill him with awe, and he indeed revered me and stood in awe before me.

But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication<n id="1" /> will rise with healing wings,<n id="2" /> and you will skip about<n id="3" /> like calves released from the stall.

<p class="poetry">the Angel<n id="1" /> who has protected me<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">from all harm &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">bless these boys.p> <p class="poetry">May my name be named in them,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.p> <p class="poetry">May they grow into a multitude on the earth.&#8221;p>